Plaiting device



Patented ug. 3, 1926. l UNITED STATES PTENT OFFICE.

THOMAS R. PADGETT, OF G-AFFNEY,'SOUTI-I CAROLINA.

PLAITING DEVICE.

Application filed November 5, 1925.` Serial No. 67,028.

This invention relates to means for formfins or ribs extend the full length of the ing plaits in cloth or the like.v such, for eX- sheet 11 and are spaced apart a distance apample, as are used in the making of ap proximately equal to their height. parel. By reference to VFigure 5, it will be seen 50 The objectof the invention is to provide that each lin or rib comprises a thin, relaa simple and efficient device which can be tively rigid strip 12, of metal, wood, whaleused in connection with an Aordinary pressbone or the like, with the sheet 11 looped ing table or ironing board for rapidly and over such strip and stitched together along accurately making either box or knife plaits, the lower edge of the strip, as indicated at 05 as desired. y 13. This line of stitching therefore consti- In order that the invention may be readily tutes a hinge about1 which the upstanding understood, reference is had to the accomiin may be turned in either direction so as panying drawings, forming part of this to lie substantially flat upon the sheet 11, as specification, and in which indicated in dotted lines in Figure 5 and at 70 Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved the right hand side of Figure 4. device, showing the same in position on an lEhe end member 3 of the frame shown in ironing board; f Figure 1 is removable, being held in the side Y Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof; members 1 and 2 by mea-ns of notches 3 Figure 3 is a transverse section substan- (see Figure 2). Secured to this removable 75 tially on the line 3--3 of Figure 1; end member are aseries of strands or smallV Figure 4 is a similar and fragmentary wires 15. These wires are spaced apart a section on an enlarged scale illustrating the' distance substantially equal to that between parts in a different position; l the tins and may be held in such spaced re- Figure 5 is a similar fragmentary view lation by means of notches formed in the 80 on a still further enlarged scale `showing upper surface of the cross bar 5, as shown.

some of the details of construction; These strands or wires exten-d longitudinally f Figure 6 is a plan View on an enlarged ofthe sheet 11 and are secured at their other scale of one of the detents shown in Fig* ends to aseries of levers 16. `Each of these ures 1 and 2; levers is preferably provided with a liat- 95 Figure 7 is a longitudinal section thereof tened end 16a and is pivotally mounted at on the lines 7-7 of Figure 6; and f its other end on a shaft 17 supported in Figure 8 is a fragmentary end elevation brackets 19, secured to the frame. Spacing of the device shown in Figures 1 and 2. sleeves 18 are preferably interposed between Referring to the drawings in detail, my the levers 16, as shown in Figure 8, so as to 00 improved device comprises a rectangular space them uniformly along the shaft.

frame formed of side members 1 and 2, end The upper edge of each lever is prefermembers 3 and 4, and cross members 5 and ably serrated to provide ratchet teeth and 6, arranged adjacent the end members. cooperating with these teeth is a swinging To a pair of strips or bars 7 and 8 are detent or fpawl 20, pivotally supported on 95 secured the side edges of a flexible sheet or a' rod 21 secured to the end member 4 of base 11. preferably formed of textile matethe frame. By reference to Figures 6 and lrial and this sheet is stretched over the 7, it will be seen that I preferably pro; frame by means of clips 9 and 10 which are vide each detent with a struck-up portion secured to the strips 7 and 8 and engage un- 20a, adjacent its pivot, such portion form- 100 der the side members 1 and 2 of the frame as ing a. linger hold by means of which the debest shown in Figure 3. .lt will be undertent may be operated. The struck-up porstood that the frame is made of such a size tion 2Oa is preferably formed with an openas to snugly fit over and enclose an ironing ing 20" through which the wire or strand board X or the like, so that the upper sur- 15 may pass. 105 face of this board is substantially flush with From the above, it is obvious that by the top of the frame, and the sheet or base pressing down u on the flat ends of the 11 is supported on the board in a horizontal levers 16, the wires or strands 15 may be position. individually stretched orktensioned and may Carried by the flexible sheet or base 11 are be maintained under tension by means of 110 a series of horizontal parallel upstanding the pawls 20. When it is desired to refins or ribs 14, as shown in Figure 3. These lease the wires, the levers are slightly depressed'. soI as tof permit the pawls` 2O to* be disengagedtherefrom, and the levers'niay` After.r

` the tension is relieved in this manner, enough then swing freely on their pivots.

slack is provided'in'u the strands to permit the end member S to be disengaged fromthe notches 3a and bodily removed, so that the whole series of Wiresinay be lifted ronrA the base or sheet 11.

In operation, the 'plaiting appara-tusing'- been first mounted onan ironing as shown, the -cloth'ior otlie'ii material to be lia-vpla-itedA is laid or` spreadover the plaiting device sothat itrests upon the upper edges of the vtins 14, The seriesot- Wires are then positioned over the clothin such a manner that each Wireenters the spacevor: groovey betweentwo ins, thus forcing-*the cloth ori fabric to be plaited downrbetween" the ii-ns.

Preferably the 'Wir'esi-arer-so positioned thateach 4one liescloselyradjacent the lower edgeV thisinaterial'is drawn snugly down along; the side o/one tin Where itpasses under the' Wire andthence up andl over; the next' adjacenti iin.

The materiali, to` be plait'ed: having been placed' on the plaiting; device, as above de- `soribed,.it isiobvious that, the/fuisniay-` be' swung; about their loiverV edges dovvir into' a horizontal position as indicated ate the right of' Figure 4i, the fins carrying the materialy with them and causing it to be vstretched smoothly overl and under` eachiin,

as shown.. It now` a hot iron be passed over-the fiat lying tins andiinaterial, it is obvious that uniform and accurate creases or olds Willlbe made in the materialat the edges-of the tins, thus producing plaits. As

board,

The' material is-indicated at Y and'.

shown" in Figure 4, knife' plaitsvvould be produced,'but itthe finsfare folded doWii alternately in opposite directions, box plaits Would result. s

After the pressing operation, the Wires are released,as described, and lifted from the material, and after this, the material may be readilyremoved from the device.

That I claim is LA plaiting device comprising a: series of-insor ribs hingedly attached along one longitudinal edge to a support, a series of strands, and means for stretching strands over the support bet-Ween and pai'- allel Withsaid Iinsor ribs.

2. A? plaiting dev-ice *comprising ai flexible base, a series ot iinsor ribs hingedly attached'along one longitudinal edge to said,A

base, a frame to which said flexible base is attached, a series of strands secured to said i'aine, and adaptedv to be positioned parallel. with andvbetiveen said fins, and.

means tor tensioning said strands. Y i

3.- A- plaiting device comprising a flexible base,.aseries of ins or ribs each compris-- ing a relatively rigid strip havingthematerial of the -fiexible base looped therearound and stitched along one longitudinal edge, the line of stitching constituting a hinge aboutl which saidfiin-can be swung in either direction into substantial-contact withtlie base, a series ot-strands, and means tor: s0,-

positioning" saidstrands f thatv they mayv be stretched over said base in=the spaces beetween said lins.

t.- The combination WithA an ironing board or the like, ot a series ot parallel normally upstanding tins or ribs supported thereby, saidY fins being hinged alongi their-lower edge and capable otxfolding over. into a:

flat', horizontal position, and a series ot strands also supportedibyA saidA board andy arranged to be stretched over tlie'boardbetween and-parallel With saidns. n

In'v testimony" whereof I" afiix my signa# ture.

- THOMAS Rly PADGrETT`u 

